Rip Hamilton Was ‘Offended’ By His Coach

Things are growing ever testier in Motown, as the bench-saddled Hamilton tells the media that his coach’s clumsy attempts to talk through things weren’t greatly appreciated. From the Free Press: “Hamilton told the Free Press on Sunday morning that Kuester’s attempt to reach out to him consisted of Jerry Hendon, the team’s security head, coming to him a minute before the team was meeting to go over strategy for Saturday’s game with Phoenix to tell him Kuester wanted to talk to him. ‘I felt offended that he sent Jerry instead of coming himself or sending an assistant coach,’ Hamilton said. ‘I could tell Jerry was uncomfortable and I said no.’ He didn’t say how or when, but Kuester told the media Saturday evening that he tried to make a connection with his shooting guard. Hamilton hasn’t played in seven games since becoming the subject of trade talks with New Jersey and Denver and lost his starting position to Rodney Stuckey. ‘We made overtures and one of the things that’s important is he is somebody that’s on our team now,’ Kuester said before Saturday’s game. ‘We know that and we’ve reached out to him.’”